For the Confused Indian Buyer: Here Are the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones & Earphones

Bluetooth headphones have been created for convenience and portability. Instead of lugging large headphones with long winded cables around, you can get yourself a wireless headset and use it with your Bluetooth enabled devices while on the go.

And with wireless headphones dominating the market, the launch of AptX HD for higher-res music and rumors about the disappearing 3.5mm jack in the iPhone 7 having all but been officially confirmed, there's no better time to jump on the bandwagon.

In no particular order, here are the best wireless options to choose from.

Personalized Premium Wireless Headphones

Building on the M-100's lauded sound, the Crossfade Wireless elevates that signature sound up a few notches with the aim of being the best wireless headphones in the market.

These headphones upend the notion that Bluetooth headphones sound worse than their wired counterparts, with the Crossfade Wireless sounding as good as the M-100s. The Crossfade Wireless has military grade durability, can be personalized, is very comfortable and can be used both wired and wirelessly.

The Crossfade looks and feels a lot like the Crossfade M-100, with the same sturdy build quality to compliment the overall artistic design. You can choose from Gunmetal to Rouge, Phantom Chrome, or White Silver, plus customization is the USP here, offering 3D-printed or laser-engraved shields, allowing users to personalize their headphones. On wearing, while they do feel a little bulky after a couple of hours, overall, they’re pretty comfortable.

The V-MODAs comes in a stylish exoskeleton case ornamented with a riveted leatherette handle and matching clasps. Inside the case, the headphones come along with accessories: a charging cable, a braided audio cable for plugging in, and surprisingly enough, a carabiner.

The quality of the audio the Crossfade Wireless puts forward isn't up for much debate, it bests its wired sibling, since V-MODA used the same 50mm drivers with some fine tuning to enhance a sound signature that is already a favourite among many.

Whether you use the cables or choose to go wireless, the audio isn’t going to be compromised. There’s bass, lots of it, but it well complements the highs and the overall presentation is wide and detailed. The soundstage succeeds in rendering a near 3D representation of the audio. Overall, you’ll have no complaints regarding the audio reproduction, it’s warm and detailed and well presented to deliver a pleasant musical experience.

There are better wireless headphones out there, but for the price they’re at, there are very very few competitors. Just understand that they're a little bulky and the battery life could be better.

Bass might not appeal to Purists Not collapsible

Our Verdict:

Wireless Headphones with Bass Boosters

These Bluetooth headphones are the successors to the celebrated MDR-XB920 headphones. Sony has taken its extra bass series wireless with the XB950BT while adding a bass boost function.

The MDR-XB950BT looks very similar to any other headphone in the MDR series. The matte black finish with streaks of red give these headphones a touch of elegance & class. There are bits and pieces of metal here and there, but the overall build is primarily plastic. But nevertheless, it's solidly built by the Japanese giant.

The paddings are plentiful and overall comfort and ergonomics hasn’t been compromised. The best part is the sound isolation which is very impressive. The headphone comes with a 1.3 meter long cable for wired use, along with a micro USB cable for charging.

The audio performance is a mixed bag. There are some kinds of music where it excels in while with a few others it doesn't sound that impressive. The selling point for the headphones, the extra bass with the Electro Bass Booster, is without a doubt impressively good. But there’s a catch to it, the bass boost distorts nearly all other genres of music. Modern pop music, or hip-hop songs on the other hand sounded clear and punchy, which is the targeted demographic here. All in all, not a bad sounding pair of cans. The Sony MDR XB950BT is one of the better headsets in the XB family, if not the best.

The battery life is superb and for the price, and it has a lot going for it. Preferably not the choice for purists though.

Gopal Sathe, NDTV Gadgets360

"The Sony MDR XB950BT is one of the better headsets in the XB family - it is clearer than many of its siblings, but it can still turn up the bass with the press of a button if that's what you want."

Bass, bass and lots of bassLong battery life

DOWNS

Bass can drown out mids and highs

Our Verdict:

Highly Efficient Battery. MultiFunction Support

Formerly MEElectronics, MEE Audio aims to deliver Music Enjoyment for Everyone. MEElectronics built its reputation for delivering quality audio at an affordable price. With MEE Audio and the Wave, they've definitely aimed at retaining that status.

The MEE Audio Wave is surprisingly suitable for sport activities. The on-ear cushions have small holes cut into them to let your ears breathe when worn, stay warm, but dry, and not accumulate sweat or moisture. The headband is also well cushioned to provide comfort and stability, so you can use them while working out and it'll do the job fairly well.

You can also get yourself the Air-Fi Connect Transmitter in case you'd like to use these headphones with the TV.

The Wave is a visually appealing pair of headphones. The plastic build however, is a bit of a let down. It's true that with the features that it packs in at this price point, one can't expect much, but the plastic construction does make it feel rather breakable.

Despite having an on-ear design, the Wave is quite comfortable and can easily be worn for long hours. However, where the design loses out on is noise isolation. Just like most on-ear headphones out there, you can't expect much. Sound leakage also may be an issue.

The main feature that sets the Wave apart is of course, the Bluetooth connectivity. Pairing the Wave with all your Bluetooth devices is very easy. The range is standard, about 7-10 meters of clear audio. The Multipoint Technology is also a nifty trick that lets you pair it with 2 devices at the same time, which is impressive at this price.

The Wave delivers on its promise of an outstanding 24 hours of battery life. Infact, it may even last for longer. Also, it requires only approximately an hour and a half to fully charge. The inbuilt mic also does its job well.

On the whole, sound is inclined towards the bass end of the spectrum. However, despite being heavy on the lows, they aren't overwhelming. Just punchy and exciting. The mids are recessed, but the highs are clear and bright without being harsh.

Being a wireless headphone, sound quality is definitely weaker than the others in this list. However, the plethora of functions it offers definitely make this the most value for money option in this budget."

Multipoint Function Remote and Microphone

DOWNS

Plastic Build

Our Verdict:

Bass lovers will fall for Beats Thumping Bass

The Solo 3 Wireless is an updated version of the popular Solo 2 Wireless with better sound, comfort and quality. One will hear signature Beats sound with these headphones.

Does the Solo 3 Wireless have an iconic design that would really attract eyeballs? Definitely.

It’s not often that you come across a product that is known more for its design than its functionality. With the Solo 3 Wireless, build quality is impeccable, there are no flimsy bits, and it’s all tightly engineered for a solid overall feel. These headphones also have a RemoteTalk™ cable and on-ear controllable microphone that is compatible with iOS devices.

The sleek streamlined design adds to the comfort of the headphone. The Solo 3’s fast flowing curves and cushioned earcups complete the natural fit, optimizing the sound delivery. These headphones are pretty lightweight which makes them easily portable. Take them wherever you go and it shall stand out in the crowd.

There’s one thing where Beats always strike the right chord, it's in the presentation. From the thick packaging to the stunning colour combinations, the decorative presentation of the headphones to even the design of the carry case, it looks and feels premium. The headphones come with a universal USB charging cable.

It’s all about the bass. But did you expect anything else from Beats?

Beats Solo3 Wireless provides wireless efficient sound with the Class 1 Bluetooth technology. Just plug them to your Apple Watch, iPad or Mac and you are good to go. With fine-tuned acoustics these headphones do not fail to deliver all the more balanced and premium playback. Beats claims that you can listen to music the way it was meant to be with the Solo 3 Wireless.

The most striking feature of the Solo 3 Wireless is the fast fuel. Basically these headphones have a massive battery life so non-stop music for 40 hours. A quick charge where in 5 mins of charge works for 3 hours without any difficulty.

EDM, Hip-Hop and Disco Pop sound very good but might not be ideal for more subtle genres of music such as country, soft rock or Jazz.

Those who are loyal to the Beats brand will fill fall in love with these headphones.

David Carnoy, CNET

"The Solo3 Wireless sounds very good for an on-ear Bluetooth headphone and will appeal to bass lovers"

Pocket friendly Wireless Headphones

In the world of wireless headsets, Jabra is the Scandinavian brand that is probably one of the pioneers in affordable Bluetooth headphones that are a fantastic combination of attractive form and functionality. And the Move is testament to that.

Available in a wide variety of colours, the Move is simple and very classy to look at. The on-ear design is comfortable, and the design accents are minimalist, with a Jabra logo above the earcups and some small writing that says that the sound design is by Jabra, from Copenhagen. It's a design move that is quite innovative the earcups are basically blank with a matte finish except for tiny writing, so it tends to look like a decorative border from a fair distance. One thing is for sure, wear it and you won't look out of place, geeky, or like a kid. They're gorgeous.

The earpads and underside of the headband are cushioned enough to stay comfortable over long listening sessions. Controls on the left earcup include a Play/Pause/Answer Call/End Call button along with two additional buttons that adjust volume or navigate tracks depending on how long you hold them down. It also comes equipped with MultiPoint technology, so that you can connect two devices at the same time! The battery life of the Move Wireless is at roughly 8 hours.

Noise isolation, unfortunately is a little mediocre and noise leakage may be an issue when music is played at loud volume.

Moving on to the sound, the Move is punchy on the bass. It delivers some serious thunder and doesn't distort even at very high, unsafe listening levels. At moderate volumes, the deep bass still commands the mix, but leaves enough high-mid and high frequency presence to keep things balanced. Bloated, overwhelming bass isn't an issue here.

The mids, although clean could use a little more definition and detail. The same issue isn't present with the highs. They shine with vocals and higher register strings and brass getting plenty of sculpted high-mid and high frequency presence to remain the focus in classical music.

All in all these are excellent fun sounding headphones. However, purists may find this sound a bit bass-heavy.

Kshitij Saxena

"For the price, you won't find anything close to these if you are looking to go wireless. If wireless is not your primary criteria, a couple of nicer headphones are easily there for you to choose. Although I would still say you should give these a try, you might just end up enjoying the freedom from wires."

Alert! Beware of Fakes

Be very careful while shopping online - there's a huge grey market of smuggled & refurbished headphones in India. Headphone Zone is a professionally run business & deals only in 100% genuine headphones.

In co-operation with our partner brands, we've launched India's first campaign to educate all our consumers about the risks of counterfeit headphones in India.